Essay Questions

Please review the following list of questions that are categorized by your area of
certification. The five areas of certification are:
Environmental Assessment
Environmental Documentation
Environmental Operations
Environmental Planning
Environmental Research and Education
Answer only questions within your requested area of certification.
Questions 1 and 2 within each certification area must be answered. You may then choose
three questions to answer within each area.

ABCEP/2012

Page1

Environmental Assessment
1. Keeping current. The environmental arena changes rapidly. Identify emerging issues in your specialty
area, and describe how you keep current.
2. Ethics. You are a consultant whose client must submit to a regulatory agency a plan to remediate a
Superfund site. Describe how you would proceed. Imagine that your client divulged to you information about
contamination undisclosed to regulators, and then requested that you maintain confidentiality. Describe how
you might respond.

From questions 3 to 18, write essays responding to three questions.

3. Wetlands. As a wetlands analyst how would you identify 'valuable wetlands'? How would you mitigate
unavoidable loss of such wetlands?
4. Housing development. A housing developer hires you as a consulting wildlife biologist to evaluate a 26acre parcel containing woodlands and fresh water wetlands to obtain required building permits. How would
you proceed?
5. Academic institutions. Are academic institutions adequately preparing students to enter the
environmental profession? How might curricula be improved in the area of environmental assessment?
6. Environmental assessments/impact statements. How would you improve the quality and value of
Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements?
7. Airports/noise. How would you assess impacts of airport construction and/or expansion? How might you
propose to mitigate noise impacts?
8. Highways/pesticides. How would you assess impacts of highway construction and/or expansion? How
might you propose to mitigate roadside pesticide/herbicide impacts?
9. Environmental compliance. What difficulties have you encountered in complying with environmental
legislation and/or regulations? How have you overcome such difficulties?
10. Controversial projects. As a biologist or ecologist, how would you assess potential impacts of a
controversial project requiring extensive acreage?
11. Utilities/energy. You manage a utility's environmental division. Company officers seek to build a 26mile gas pipeline between a distribution location and a city in the neighboring state. They ask you to assess
environmental issues as necessary to obtain required permits. How would you proceed?
12. Coastal zone development. A corporation that wants to develop 19 acres of marine bay waterfront for
high rise construction requests a proposal from your urban and regional planning firm. How would you
respond?

ABCEP/2012

Page2

13. State vs. federal statutes and regulations. As an environmental consultant assigned to a project in a
state in which you previously have never worked, how would you assure compliance with that state's
environmental statutes and regulations? How have individual state statutes and regulations modified your
approach to complying with federal statutes and regulations?
14. Urban projects. In planning for use and expansion of urban space or other large-scale projects, what
influences have you found to be most effective in mitigating adverse environmental impacts? Which have
been least effective?
15. Health risk assessment. You are assigned to assess risks to human health potentially posed by a
substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, soil, or workplace. How would you proceed?
16. Environmental risk assessment. You are assigned to assess risks to environmental health potentially
posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, or soil. How would you proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page3

ABCEP/2012

Page4

Environmental Documentation

17. Keeping current. The environmental arena changes rapidly. Identify emerging issues in your specialty
area, and describe how you keep current.
18. Ethics. You are a consultant whose client must submit to a regulatory agency a plan to remediate a
Superfund site. Describe how you would incorporate field data into documents required by the regulatory
agency. Your field personnel divulged to you information about contamination that you knew was
undisclosed to regulators; the client requested that you maintain confidentiality. Describe how you might
respond.

From questions 19 to 32, write essays responding to three questions.

19. Wetlands. You must document activities of your firm's wetlands analyst(s). How would you document
their procedures for identification of 'valuable wetlands'? How would you document proposal(s) for
mitigation of wetland losses that your field personnel tell you are unavoidable?
20. Housing development. A housing developer hires your consulting firm to study wildlife populations on
a 26-acre parcel containing woodlands and fresh water wetlands to obtain required building permits. How
would you proceed in support of your field personnel?
21. Academic institutions. Are academic institutions adequately preparing students to enter the
environmental profession? How might curricula be improved in the area of environmental documentation?
22. Environmental assessments/impact statements. How would you improve the quality and value of
Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements?
23. Airports/noise. How would you document assessment of impacts potentially exerted by airport
construction and/or expansion? How might you document proposals to mitigate noise impacts?
24. Highways/pesticides. How would you document assessment of impacts of highway construction and/or
expansion? How might you document proposals to mitigate roadside pesticide/herbicide impacts?
25. Environmental compliance. What difficulties have you encountered in documenting compliance by
your firm or client(s) with environmental legislation and/or regulations? How have you overcome such
difficulties?
26. Controversial projects. As a biologist or ecologist, how would you document assessment(s) of potential
impacts of a controversial project requiring extensive acreage?
27. Utilities/energy. You manage a utility's environmental division. Company officers seek to build a 26mile gas pipeline between a distribution location and a city in the neighboring state. They ask you to provide
documentation toward obtaining required permits. How would you proceed?
28. Coastal zone development. A corporation that wants to develop 19 acres of marine bay waterfront for
high rise construction requests a proposal from your urban and regional planning firm. How would you
respond?

ABCEP/2012

Page5

29. State vs. federal statutes and regulations. As an environmental consultant assigned to a project in a
state in which you previously have never worked, how would you assure compliance with that state's
environmental statutes and regulations? How have individual state statutes and regulations modified your
approach to complying with federal statutes and regulations?
30. Urban projects. In planning for use and expansion of urban space or other large-scale projects, what
influences have you found to be most effective in mitigating adverse environmental impacts? Which have
been least effective?
31. Health risk assessment. You are assigned to document assessment of risks to human health potentially
posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, soil, or workplace. How would you
proceed?
32. Environmental risk assessment. You are assigned to document assessment of risks to environmental
health potentially posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, or soil. How
would you proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page6

Environmental Operations

33. Keeping current. The environmental arena changes rapidly. Identify emerging issues in your specialty
area, and describe how you keep current.
34. Ethics. You work for a firm that operates private facilities under contract. Your client's facility must
submit to a regulatory agency a plan to remediate a Superfund site. Describe how you might assure that your
firm's operations would satisfy regulations and regulators. Your field personnel divulged to you information
about contamination that you knew was undisclosed to regulators; the client requested that you maintain
confidentiality. Describe how you might respond.

From questions 35 to 48, write essays responding to three questions.

35. Wetlands. You manage a company that seeks to develop a wetland. How will you assure that your
firm's wetland analyst(s) will satisfy regulations and regulators? How would you assure that they identify all
'valuable wetlands'? How would you propose to mitigate wetland losses that your field personnel tell you are
unavoidable?
36. Housing development. A housing developer hires the consulting firm that you manage to study wildlife
populations on a 26-acre parcel containing woodlands and fresh water wetlands to obtain required building
permits. How would you proceed in support of your client?
37. Academic institutions. Are academic institutions adequately preparing students to enter the
environmental profession? How might curricula be improved in the area of environmental operations?
38. Environmental assessments/impact statements. How would you improve the quality and value of
Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements?
39. Airports/noise. How would you manage a project to assess impacts potentially exerted by airport
construction and/or expansion? How might you propose to mitigate noise impacts?
40. Highways/pesticides. How would you manage a project to assess impacts of highway construction
and/or expansion? How might you propose to mitigate roadside pesticide/herbicide impacts?
41. Environmental compliance. What difficulties have you encountered in documenting compliance by
your firm or client(s) with environmental legislation and/or regulations? How have you overcome such
difficulties?
42. Controversial projects. As manager of a team of biologists and/or ecologists, how would you assess
potential impacts of a controversial project requiring extensive acreage?
43. Utilities/energy. You manage a utility's environmental division. Company officers seek to build a 26mile gas pipeline between a distribution location and a city in the neighboring state. They ask you to
obtaining required permits. How would you proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page7

44. Coastal zone development. A corporation that wants to develop 19 acres of marine bay waterfront for
high rise construction requests a proposal from the urban and regional planning firm that you manage. How
would you respond?

ABCEP/2012

Page8

45. State vs. federal statutes and regulations. As an environmental manager assigned to a project in a state
in which you previously have never worked, how would you assure compliance with that state's
environmental statutes and regulations? How have individual state statutes and regulations modified your
approach to complying with federal statutes and regulations?
46. Urban projects. In planning for use and expansion of urban space or other large-scale projects, what
influences have you found to be most effective in mitigating adverse environmental impacts? Which have
been least effective?
47. Health risk assessment. You are assigned to manage a project to assess risks to human health potentially
posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, soil, or workplace. How would you
proceed?
48. Environmental risk assessment. You are assigned to manage a project to assess risks to environmental
health potentially posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, or soil. How
would you proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page9

Environmental Planning

49. Keeping current. The environmental arena changes rapidly. Identify emerging issues in your specialty
area, and describe how you keep current.
50. Ethics. You work for a firm that plans private facilities under contract. Your client's facility must submit
to a regulatory agency a plan to remediate a Superfund site. Describe how you might assure that your firm's
plans will satisfy regulations and regulators. Your field personnel divulged to you information about
contamination that you knew was undisclosed to regulators; the client requested that you maintain
confidentiality. Describe how you might respond.

From questions 51 to 64, write essays responding to three questions.

51. Wetlands. Your company plans to develop a wetland. How will you assure that your firm's wetland
analyst(s) will satisfy regulations and regulators? How would you assure that they identify all 'valuable
wetlands'? How would you propose to mitigate wetland losses that your field personnel tell you are
unavoidable?
52. Housing development. A housing developer hires the planning firm that you manage to protect wildlife
populations on a 26-acre parcel containing woodlands and fresh water wetlands to obtain required building
permits. How would you proceed in support of your client?
53. Academic institutions. Are academic institutions adequately preparing students to enter the
environmental profession? How might curricula be improved in the area of environmental planning?
54. Environmental assessments/impact statements. How would you improve the quality and value of
Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements?
55. Airports/noise. How would you plan a project to assess impacts potentially exerted by airport
construction and/or expansion? How might you plan to mitigate noise impacts?
56. Highways/pesticides. How would you plan a project to assess impacts of highway construction and/or
expansion? How might you plan to mitigate roadside pesticide/herbicide impacts?
57. Environmental compliance. What planning difficulties have you encountered in assuring compliance by
your firm or client(s) with environmental legislation and/or regulations? How have you overcome such
difficulties?
58. Controversial projects. As a planner, how would you interact with your firm's team of biologists and/or
ecologists who are engaged in assessing potential impacts of a controversial project requiring extensive
acreage?
59. Utilities/energy. You manage a utility's environmental division. Company officers seek to build a 26mile gas pipeline between a distribution location and a city in the neighboring state. They ask you to
formulate plans for obtaining required permits. How would you proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page10

60. Coastal zone development. A corporation that wants to develop 19 acres of marine bay waterfront for
high rise construction requests a proposal from the urban and regional planning firm in which you are a
planner. How would you respond?
61. State vs. federal statutes and regulations. As a planner assigned to a project in a state in which you
previously have never worked, how would you assure compliance with that state's environmental statutes and
regulations? How have individual state statutes and regulations modified your approach to planning projects
in a manner that also assures compliance with federal statutes and regulations?
62. Urban projects. In planning for use and expansion of urban space or other large-scale projects, what
influences have you found to be most effective in mitigating adverse environmental impacts? Which have
been least effective?
63. Health risk assessment. You are assigned to plan a project requiring assessment of risks to human
health potentially posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, soil, or workplace.
How would you proceed?
64. Environmental risk assessment. You are assigned to plan a project requiring assessment of risks to
environmental health potentially posed by a substance or substances that will be emitted to the air, water, or
soil. How would you proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page11

Environmental Research and Education

65. Keeping current. The environmental arena changes rapidly. Identify emerging issues in your specialty
area, and describe how you keep current.
66. Ethics. You are a professor of environmental sciences at a university. You teach your students about
remediation of contaminated sites under the Superfund Law. Describe how you might teach your students to
interact with regulators effectively. Describe how you might address ethical issues raised if they learn of
contamination that they knew was undisclosed to regulators. Describe how students might be instructed to
respond to a request to maintain confidentiality of the undisclosed information.

From questions 67 to 80, write essays responding to three questions.

67. Wetlands. Your lesson describes a firm that plans to develop a wetland. How should you teach students
to students assure that the firm's wetland analyst(s) will satisfy regulations and regulators? How should they
identify all 'valuable wetlands'? How should they propose to mitigate wetland losses that field personnel say
are unavoidable?
68. Housing development. Your lesson describes a housing developer who hires a firm to inventory wildlife
populations occupying a 26-acre parcel containing woodlands and fresh water wetlands to obtain required
building permits. How would you teach students to proceed in support of the client?
69. Academic institutions. Are academic institutions adequately preparing students to enter the
environmental profession? How might curricula be improved in the area of environmental education?
70. Environmental assessments/impact statements. How would you improve the quality and value of
Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements?
71. Airports/noise. How would you teach students to approach a project to assess impacts potentially
exerted by airport construction and/or expansion? How should students approach the issue of mitigating
noise impacts?
72. Highways/pesticides. How would you teach students to approach a project to assess impacts of highway
construction and/or expansion? How should students approach the issue of mitigating roadside
pesticide/herbicide impacts?
73. Environmental compliance. What difficulties have you encountered in case studies involving
compliance with environmental legislation and/or regulations? How have such difficulties been overcome?
74. Controversial projects. As an environmental sciences professor, how would you teach students to
interact with their firm's team of biologists and/or ecologists who are engaged in assessing potential impacts
of a controversial project requiring extensive acreage?
75. Utilities/energy. Your lesson describes a utility's environmental division. Company officers seek to build
a 26-mile gas pipeline between a distribution location and a city in the neighboring state. They seek required
permits. How should the utility's environmental professional staff proceed?

ABCEP/2012

Page12

76. Coastal zone development. A corporation that wants to develop 19 acres of marine bay waterfront for
high rise construction requests a proposal from a faculty colleague in the Environmental Sciences
Department that you chair. How would you respond?
77. State vs. federal statutes and regulations. Your lesson describes an environmental professional
assigned to a project in a state in which he or she previously has never worked. How would you teach
students to assure compliance with that state's environmental statutes and regulations? How might individual
state statutes and regulations modify your approach to planning projects in a manner that also assures
compliance with federal statutes and regulations?
78. Urban projects. In projects to use and/or expand urban spaces or in other large-scale projects, what
influences have you found to be most effective in mitigating adverse environmental impacts? Which have
been least effective?
79. Health risk assessment. Your lesson describes an environmental professional assigned to plan a project
requiring assessment of risks to human health potentially posed by a substance or substances that will be
emitted to the air, water, soil, or workplace. How should students learn to proceed?
80. Environmental risk assessment. Your lesson describes an environmental professional assigned to plan a
project requiring assessment of risks to environmental health potentially posed by a substance or substances
that will be emitted to the air, water, or soil. How should students learn to proceed?

The Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals

PO Box 42564. Towson, MD 21284-2564
Tel: 866-767-8073 Fax: 410-254-5542
office@abcep.org

ABCEP/2012

Page13